In the 1990’s the movie “What About Bob,” with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss was produced at beautiful Smith Mountain Lake.  Last year, a new movie called “Lake Effects” was produced by LifeOutLoud Films also at SML starring Jane Seymour.  It is quite entertaining and includes many familiar lake characteristics.  It was shown this past Spring on The Hallmark Movie Channel and we have since met producer, Sarah Elizabeth Timmons and some others who were involved. Now LifeOutLoud has teamed with author David Baldacchi who also lives at SML to produce one of his books into a movie.  The book and movie are entitled “Wish You Well.”  A few weeks ago, Jack and I went to Blacksburg, Virginia for the casting call for extras in the movie.  We got roles.  Jack will be in a courtroom scene and I will be in a cemetery scene.  The movie takes place in the 1930’s and they have asked if we have any clothing from that era.  I need a hat and a dress suitable for a funeral.  Do you have one still in your closet from that era?  Anyway, we will be going for costume fittings soon but this is the sort of fun we are having in retirement!  I am also singing with a group called the Lakeside Singers (about 100 voices) and our performance for this Fall will be November 16 and 17.  We both are singing with Bethlehem United Methodist Church Choir and we joined the church last week.  There are so many activities here that we could be busy every day!

The past two weeks, we have been meeting with various banks and have many angles working right now but nothing definite on the construction loan.  Nonetheless, we are plumbing away.  We got the waterproofing completed and passed that inspection.  Hopefully it will dry up tomorrow and we can begin to backfill around the foundation.  Then I can plant grass seed!  Jack has been running plumbing and continues to be a building wizard! 

Last week, my sister, Sherry and her husband John visited to check on the construction of her home.  They have surpassed us and now have walls erected.  Very exciting!  Check out her blog!  While she was here, we visited Mom who was seemed to recognize us as somewhat familiar.  She knew we were important to her and showed her love for us.  She doesn’t, however know my name, Sherry’s name, nor the difference between a cup and a shoe.  Alzheimer’s is such a degenerative disease!

This weekend is the Charity Home Tour.  Eight homes will be featured and Jack’s brother Jimmy and wife Deborah will come visit for the first time!  The lake water level is too low to see the homes by boat (we don’t have one anyway!!) so we will travel by car.  Maybe there will be great ideas for decorating!

Until the next time, enjoy the smell of Fall in the air!

Friday, the steel was delivered for the foundation walls.  Saturday with the help of my brother Mike and his wife Lisa from Floyd; Jonathan from near Chapel Hill, Steve from next door, me, and Jack…we set 9 beams and 10 columns.  Beams averaged 2500 lbs. each so that is over 22,500 pounds of steel!

This is a little photo album showing this great teamwork that was completed in a matter of 6 hours with NO INJURIES and no mistakes!  We love our friend and family workdays!

http://bedfordlandingswordpresscom.shutterfly.com/8?eid=112

 

 

 

This is a sampling of the phrases we have heard from banks this week: “this is a unique property,” or it would be a “risky resale if you default,” or it is all “dependent on the appraisal” or, we are “running out of options.”

The bank, who we have been working with since April kept saying that the construction loan closing should happen within a few days, so readers of this blog know we started construction.  Last week, as we completed the pouring of the foundation walls, they implied that we would not get funding, then just today, they said, “I will continue to look for options outside the bank and I am sure you will also.  If I should find any other options I will let you know.”  So here we are with beautiful foundation walls and no funding.  We have now met with 6 banks. Our best hope is a Community Bank who says they are “willing to go out of the box.”

The appraisal used comps that were half the square footage of our plans, they were not on an airport, did not include a 2000 sf heated hangar, and were not timber frame.  Thus, the appraisal came in lower in value than we needed in order to qualify for an 80% construction loan.  We have exhausted the pittance we made on our North Carolina home and don’t want to stop work so we are doing what we can to continue to move forward.

This week, we worked on painting a lovely thick tar on the walls to waterproof them.  After this treatment, comes a plastic wrap, then some sort of styrofoam the gravel and french drains then more gravel.  Overkill perhaps, but I have lived in a leaky house before so I am not complaining!

The first day of spreading the tar, I was such a mess that I threw my clothes away.  Today I found come overalls and was much more careful.

This weekend, we will continue working.  We have friends and family coming to pitch in.  If you ever want to come spend a few days or even a few hours helping and having fun, please just email us and we can tell you what’s on the schedule as far as tasks and when we could use your helping hands!

Enjoy the beautiful Fall temperatures!

Since last week, the forms for the foundation walls have been built, leveled, measured, and readied for today–concrete pouring day!  The pumper truck arrived at 7:15 am.  As I write this (11:15 am) they are still pouring but they have almost filled the forms to the top.  The guy with the pumper truck wears a strapped on remote control to control the hose through which the concrete is flowing.

I shot this little video of this “fascinating” (as Mark S. remarked) procedure.  I did a little narration but not loudly, so turn up the sound!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTPedOyP4go

Tomorrow they will take off the forms and we will be ready to smear on tar to waterproof.  Jack says that this is a very enjoyable process and I will love it (tongue in cheek!).

The bank has still not approved the construction loan so now we are out of our money (the little we made on the Bonsal House) and we are bugging the bank for a closing date.  We do have the waterproofing materials in hand, but after that comes the steel and we have not felt financially comfortable having that fabricated yet.

It feels like Fall is in the air (much cooler).

The Wall Crew arrived and is busily working to put up forms in which to pour the concrete.  There is hope we can move forward with our project!

This should like to a little photo book I put together to show our progress so far.